This one just DESTROYED my abs. It's a combination of a full-range crunch then a full contraction sit-up...then finishing with eccentric-loading.
This one is definitely an advanced exercise and is going to show you what a full contraction on the six-pack abs is all about.
The setup requires an incline bench and a bar (either in a power rack or Smith machine).
Set the incline to 45 degrees and set it under the bar. The bar should be a few feet above the bench.
Set your knees under the bar and wedge your feet onto the surface of the bench. Your butt should sit where the incline face meets the seat - right in the crease. This supports your back.
Here's a key point...push your heels into the bench rather than thinking about hooking your knees under the bar. Pushing the heels in activates the glutes, which helps to deactivate the hip flexors a bit (they will still be firing, though, because they basically have to for this one).
Now lie back and extend your upper back down over the end of the seat fo your upper back drops down and get a full stretch on the six-pack abs (rectus abdominis).
You can hold your arms overhead, at your chest or in front of you - each gives you different amounts of resistance.
Get a stretch then come up into a regular crunch.
Then, when you reach the top of that, come up into a sit-up, as high as you can, and hold at the top.
Wen doing the sit-up, try not to pull with the hip flexors...try to push your heels into the bench and push yourself up with the abs. It makes a big difference in effect.
Come back down slowly, first the sit-up, then the crunch to a full stretch again and repeat. You can adjust your arm position to make it a bit easier.
When you hit positive failure, you can take this exercise even further, if you like...grab the bar to pull yourself into the top of the sit-up position from the top of the crunch (this is optional), then release and fight the negative...literally FIGHT to stay up at the top.
Your upper body will come down slowly as you fight gravity.
And this will SHRED your six-pack abs, all the way down.
Your six-pack abs feel like you took a cardiac paddle in the stomach after a set of these...pure Jello (in a good way, and yes, there is such a thing).
Using the incline bench like this means your thighs are vertical, which means when you come to the top of the sit-up, you're in the WORST leverage position for your rectus abdominis...and that's full anatomical contraction.
You get the strong stretch at the bottom to full contraction at the top.
It's absolutely brutal.
If you're ready for an advanced knee raise exercise, try the Dip Belt Weighted Hanging Knee Raise.
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